The Littlest Detective
by ZeroPanda
Summary: Conan joins the Task Force at L's request, but what would the world's greatest detective need a child on the team for?  A Case of Curiosity continuation
1. Prologue

**The Littlest Detective**

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own Death Note or Detective Conan. At all. (:_

**Summary:** _L holds true to his promise and keeps on the lookout for the BO. At the same time, he has taken on the Kira Case. Shortly after meeting the task force for the first time, L makes a shocking discovery.

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The men before him were speaking amongst themselves. Between L and the rest of the task force, there was a tentative alliance and very little trust, but L expected as much given the circumstances.

He tapped away on the keyboard of the laptop in front of him, still listening to the others rambling off ideas and responses to a deduction he had given to them on Kira previously. On the little screen before him was a subject entirely separate from Kira, but one that warranted his attention regardless. His eyes furrowed at the information displayed.

"What unfortunate timing," he muttered to himself. The task force glanced up at him, but he made no move to tell them anything, remaining deep in thought.

Eventually, he came to a decision. He adjusted himself as he pulled out his cell phone, dialing the number so familiar to him.

"Watari?" he said when it connected. Perhaps L was lazy for simply not calling out to the man in the other room, but it didn't matter to him, "I need to collect someone, and I would like to do it in person." The task force was silent as they listened in curiously. Watari said something in response on the other side, which the task force was unable to hear, and then L hung up.

"Did you figure out something else?" Matsuda asked curiously, scooting closer to L's chair as he spoke.

"Nothing that would be of interest to you," L responded cryptically, before Watari stepped into the room, a sweet laden tray in his arms. He set the tray down on the table in front of L, before leaving again.

"Who are you going to go get?" Matsuda probed some more. His questions irritated L a bit, but he did not show it in his expression as he went to answer the child-like detective.

"No one tonight," he answered, his tone holding an air of finality that Matsuda wisely picked up on and left his questions at that. The rest of the task force went back to work, trying to forget they had ever heard the conversation, though in their minds the curiosity would not truly fade until that very next night.

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_Back by popular demand, the sequel-ish thing to __**A Case of Curiosity.**__ Short prologue. Chapters will be longer than this, I promise._

_On the other hand, this is mostly just a place holder for the story. I am working on a number of stories at this time, some for FF and some for Mibba, as well as school-work. It's finals week next week, so I'ma be swamped until Christmas break. I'll do some more writing over break, hopefully, so you might see an update or two this month. No promises though!_

_Ps. LOLOLL at the title. I stink at titles anyways, but this is what happens when I have to think of them after math class. I thought it was cute at the time…_


	2. Chapter 1

**The Littlest Detective**

**Disclaimer:** _I don't own Death Note or Detective Conan. At all. (:_

**Summary:** _L holds true to his promise and keeps on the lookout for the BO. At the same time, he has taken on the Kira Case. Shortly after meeting the task force for the first time, L makes a shocking discovery_

**Notes: **_Hii, I'm back. Sorry about not keeping my promise to update in December, I've been playing Xbox haha, not gunna even lie. I hope this update is satisfactory, even though I'm not entirely happy. I don't think the characters are entirely ..right. I'm usually really picky with keeping things in-character, but this time around I feel they're a little off. Hope you like it, though, and thank you to everyone who commented so far! I'll hopefully be working some more on this during the week. I also need a little time to get re-acquainted with the Death Note storyline, so I'll be doing that while writing. Hang in here with me!_

* * *

"Ryusaki-san?" This wasn't the situation Conan expected to be in. He left the house for school this morning, finally content with the fact that he had to do elementary school work, again, when he was stopped by a flashy black car. For a moment, he feared that somehow Gin had figured out his identity, or worse yet, figured out Haibara's, who had clutched onto Conan's arm quite fiercely with obviously the same thoughts in mind. When the man who stepped out was in fact, not Gin or even Vodka, or any member he was familiar with, he nearly let out a huge sigh of relief, but saved it until he knew for sure who this man was.

He was old, that was made certain by his grayed hair and wrinkled skin. He wore all black, which made him nervous for obvious reasons, but he remained impassive as he looked up at the man, who returned his gaze with a quick nod.

"You are Edogawa Conan, correct?" he asked, though Conan had the feeling the man already knew that he was. He hesitated in confirming his identity, but since he felt he had little choice, he nodded in affirmation. The man looked at the children surrounding Conan, glaring up at him with speculative eyes, wondering who this stranger was that was talking to their friend. He then made a sign at the back window of the car, and the tinted window rolled itself down slowly. The figure behind the window kept itself partially in shadow, so that the most the children could see from their vantage point was the silhouette of another man, but Conan knew just by the characteristic hunch in the silhouette's back that this man was L− _the _L that he had met briefly on a case not all that long ago.

"It's good to see you again, Conan-kun," he said, sounding every bit the normal person, but Conan knew otherwise.

"Ryusaki-san?" Conan barely managed to question. His time as Conan was the only thing that kept the emotions from running rampant on his face – which surely would have been a mixture of adoration and confusion, blatant and obvious for anyone with eyes to see.

"I apologize for stopping you while you're on your way to school. I went to your place of residence, but that Mouri fellow had told me you already left, so I hoped I could catch you before you arrived," he explained.

"You know this stranger, Conan?" Genta interrupted, stopping Conan from asking another question. Conan was hesitant to answer his friend, he didn't know how much he could say, but upon looking back to the silhouetted figure of the famous detective, and the man he could only assume to be his partner, he knew he had to make something up.

"Uh, yeah. Ryusaki-san and I met on a case," he said vaguely, hoping they would accept that answer. It wasn't a lie, after all.

"A case? How come you never tell us about all your cases? We want to hear about them!" Ayumi protested. Conan apologized sheepishly and turned back to L and the old man.

"What was is that you needed?" he asked curiously. L shifted, as if thinking for a way to phrase what it was he wanted to say, and after a moment of silence, he spoke.

"I have a problem that I need your assistance with," he said slowly. Before Conan could ask, he was once again beat to the punch by the children.

"A case?" the three, minus Haibara, yelled in unison. Conan raised his hand and pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that whatever it was L needed, he wouldn't need the three children poking their nose in it. It was most likely far larger than they could even hope to imagine.

"I… apologize, but Conan-kun is the only one I can bring in," L said, and the effect of his words was immediate as the faces of the three kids all fell at once.

"That's not fair! Why can't we help?" Mitsuhiko protested first, followed by the agreements of Ayumi and Genta. Haibara remained in the back, watching the scene unfold with her signature blank expression.

"He is the only one I can take, but you _can _help," he responded, causing the Shounen Tantei's ears to all perk and they leaned forward, waiting to hear what they could do. Watari looked down at the window and gave a nod, turning back to the children.

"You children can help us by not speaking of this to anyone. This is a top secret mission, and if you tell it to anyone, our entire operation could be jeopardized. What you need to do is make sure no one is suspicious around school or in your neighborhood about Conan-kun's activities, he's going to be with us for a little while," Watari explained, obviously using exaggerated words like 'mission' and 'operation' to make the kids more willing to listen.

"Top secret!" Ayumi exclaimed quietly, excitement shining in her eyes.

"We will take care of explaining things to Mouri-san, so you four won't need to worry about that. Just tell your friends at school that Conan-kun is with his parents for a while, and will come back soon," he explained further. Conan was silent this entire time, busy wondering what L could possibly need him for so urgently that he would take him away from his entire life. Was it the BO? Or was it something else? It was obviously urgent, so as Watari opened the car door for him and he was scooting himself inside, seating himself next to the crouching form of L, he did not protest or say a word.

The rest of the Shounen Tantei wished him good luck, and with determination in their eyes, they ran off down the street in the direction of their school. Haibara held back, looking at Conan in the eye, some sort of message hidden behind the scientist's eyes, before she walked off hesistantly, moving down the road after the children at a leisurely pace.

As the car door closed and Watari stepped in behind the wheel, Conan turned his gaze to L, who was now sucking on a lollipop and finally felt safe to ask the questions he really wanted to have answered.

"Why do you need me?" he asked bluntly. L didn't meet his gaze and continued sucking on the lolli, and it took quite a few moments before he finally removed the sweet from his mouth and answered, face as blank as ever.

"The BO is moving, and it's not looking good." This simple answer made Conan's face pale. He remembered L saying that he would keep on the look out for him, but he never expected that he'd make any progress. His words made Conan nervous. What kind of movement would make the great detective L worry enough to personally pick him up off the street and take him from his life? He wanted to ask, right then and there, but he also was hesitant, not wanting to know.

As it turned out, he didn't need to ask. L continued without needing to be provoked.

"A man named Gin, I believe you are familiar with him?" he asked, obviously seeing the sudden tensing in Conan's expression and shoulders.

"Yes," Conan answered quietly, waiting for L to continue.

"Apparently he has found some reason to suspect you as Conan, he has painted a target on you. Hopefully taking you away now will keep him from doing anything to the Mouri's sheltering you, but if not… I don't have any way to protect your loved ones, Conan-kun," L said, his voice never wavering, even in the small moment of hesitance. Conan's face blanched, but he picked up on the note in the end of L's sentence.

"I may have someone who can keep watch over them, for the time being. But they're busy trying to catch the BO too, I don't know how much I can ask of them."

"Ask them. I will try my best to keep looking into them, but I am quite busy at the moment. I have taken on the Kira case as well," L said. Conan's eyes immediately widened.

"You took on the _Kira case? _Where have I been? Has anything been aired on the news about it?"

"Indeed. Quite a fuss was made recently, in fact. I would have thought you had already been aware of my involvement." Conan wanted to smack himself. How hadn't he known?

"Agh! I haven't been watching the news at all lately! The Shounen Tantei have been busy dragging me from here to there. I mean, we've talked about Kira, but nothing's come up about you working the case," he explained, pinching the bridge of his nose in frustration.

"You do not need to beat yourself up for not being aware. You must be informed, however, that there is a task force working with me. They will question your presence. You must be prepared ahead of time if you wish to make excuses. I will try my best to convince them I have a valid reason, but they are still wary of me as well." Conan nodded, a bit nervous now, but mentally preparing himself.

"I think I've got a pretty good poker face nowadays," he responded with a grin, just as they pulled up in front of a hotel.

"Then perhaps you should put it on now, we have arrived," L said, before stepping out of the black car. Conan sighed, rubbing his temples before hopping out behind the awkward detective.

_

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Yeah, it's kinda short, I know. But it's better than last time! Hah. More plot to come!_


	3. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** _Oh Gods it would be amazing to own Detective Conan and Death Note. As it stands, my dreams have not come true, so no, I don't own them. _

**Summary:** _Meet the Task Force, Conan!_

**Notes: **_…hey there guys. -peaks from behind corner- You're still here? ..wow. You must really want to read a DNDC crossover. I apologize for not updating in several months. I really don't have many excuses. I wasn't feeling in the mood for Death Note for a long time. But you've all been so kind to me and left me so many reviews. I really, truly appreciate it. I don't deserve your kindness.  
This chapter isn't exactly up to par. I'm sorry about that, too. Hopefully the next chapter something more interesting will happen._

* * *

To say that Conan was nervous was an understatement. He was about to be introduced to the Kira task force as a little boy. They wouldn't understand his involvement. They would be untrusting. And if anything, this would increase their suspicions of L. Conan didn't like being the cause of problems, but he also didn't want to be a danger to his loved ones. If the BO was on to him in any way, then being away from his life was the safest thing. Even if that meant bringing trouble upon the famous detective L. He wouldn't have offered if he didn't mean it, after all.

He thought briefly of Haibara. L hadn't said anything about her being in danger. What if he didn't know? Conan had never told him, after all, about the small scientist. It wasn't really his place to give that information away. But surely, if L was so aware of Conan being a target, he would tell Conan if someone else was, right? L being who he was, he would be able to figure out who Haibara was and that she was in just as much danger as him, right?

…he would have to ask, whenever he had the privacy.

They led him inside a upscale hotel, and quickly ushered him inside the elevator. Watari pressed several floors, and the three waited patiently as the elevator stopped at each one. Conan suspected this was so it would be harder for someone to track what floor they were staying on. On one of the stops, they all filed out. Conan made a mental note of the floor number, and as they walked down the hall all the way to the very end, he took down the room number as well. It would make it easier to find his way back if he ever got lost if he knew the floor and room numbers. In fact, it would be embarrassing enough to _get _lost.

Watari slid in the keycard, and the green light on the lock lit up, flashing green. He opened it, and held it for the two detectives to pass through. L led the way, and Conan followed close behind. Watari then closed the door behind them, and followed them into the hotel room.

Before him sat several well dressed men, obviously members of the task force L had mentioned, and as soon as the three walked in, all sets of eyes were upon them. L didn't say anything to them at first, simply walking up to an armchair and sitting on it in his usual manner. Conan wondered what he was supposed to do, choosing to follow the man awkwardly and standing next to the chair. A tense silence ensued.

"Um…Ryuuzaki? Why is there a child here?" Aizawa was the first to ask, the question that was on everyone's mind. L didn't really looked like he cared too much to answer, but he did regardless. Conan, meanwhile, raised a brow at world renowned detective. _Ryuuzaki? _Not too far from the name he had given Conan, he was beginning to think there was some sort of significance behind the name, like it was some sort of personal joke. Maybe he could ask him, later. After he asked him about Haibara.

"He is the child of an acquaintance. Due to unforeseen circumstances, his life has become endangered as the product of another investigation, so I have brought him here." It wasn't too far from the truth. Only the first part was a lie, in fact. But just thinking about it made him think of his own father, and how _finally _he was a part of something, had made the acquaintance of someone as influential as L before Kudou Yuusaku. It was a brief moment of victory for the youth.

"So you thought _bringing a child to a dangerous investigation _was a better idea?" Chief Yagami said this time. L didn't look phased by the question, though it was an obvious jibe at the man's intellect, or perhaps just his sanity.

"Do not worry so much. Conan-kun is perfectly safe here. At the very least, I do not think that Kira's moral standards would allow him to kill a child. You may also find that Conan-kun is more helpful than he looks," L finished, picking up his laptop and getting to work again. Conan still didn't know what to do. If he tried hovering over the shoulders of the investigators, they would surely shoo him away. That really only left L and Watari.

Quick introductions had been made. The task force was still giving him hesitant looks, but they didn't argue anymore with L. Instead of climbing awkwardly onto the armchair L took up, or bothering Watari, he decided to analyze the people before him.

The man named Yagami seemed to be the leader amongst them. They addressed him as Chief, so he assumed that the man was the Chief of the police in this area. He had a severe look about him, but he also looked rather gentle. Conan inferred he must have a family at home. The next man was Aizawa. He seemed like a serious enough man, except for the afro. He probably wasn't a candidate.

After him was a man named Mougi. Mougi looked like the gentle giant sort. He wasn't ridiculously big or anything, but he was taller and more muscular looking than the others. He had a kind face, though. Ukita came next. He was shorter than the rest, and had a young face. He looked like the type who tried extra hard to make up for any doubts people may have about him. He was fairly forgettable.

Lastly was Matsuda. He was by far the youngest looking team member, but not so young he passed off as a teen. His hair was a fair bit longer than everyone else's, and slightly messy, but not unattractively or unprofessionally so. This one was probably Conan's best bet. The man had a childish face, and an unconfident look about him. He was probably massively underappreciated and it didn't look like the other's relied on him too much. He reminded Conan slightly of Takagi, but Conan knew that Takagi was reliable.

He wandered over the young detective slowly, looking much akin to a curious child. Conan had gotten so good at the fake innocence act that it had become second nature by now, so when he made it to Matsuda's shoulder, it wasn't suspicious in the slightest. The man looked at the boy nervously, as if not sure how to speak to him. Should he shoo the boy away? Let him stay there? If he did tell the boy to leave, how would he go about doing it? Politely ask him? Did little boys listen to that kind of talk?

"What's this?" Conan asked sweetly, pointing at the computer screen and giving the detective a boyish smile. Matsuda turned and glanced at what the boy was pointing at, and tried to make his smile as friendly as possible.

"This is the data on the last deaths by Kira. They were FBI agents sent to tail certain people that were related to police personnel that were in on the Kira case," he explained. "And the others are the inmates he killed afterwards. Around the same time as the FBI agents, this man who was suspected to be a rapist was killed by a heart attack in a metro station. And after that—"

"Matsuda!" Yagami finally interrupted. Conan was actually amazed at how much information he had been able to divulge before the elder man stopped him. He had cringed rather noticeably at the mention of the deaths of several FBI agents, hoping beyond hope that none were any he was familiar with. He still needed to call Jodie-san about watching the Mouri's…he prayed that she would answer when he did.

"Sorry, Chief," Matsuda apologized, hanging his head low. Conan really wished he had been able to finish, but what he had gotten was more than he expected, so he wasn't disappointed in the least.

"And after that," that familiar emotionless voice continued, "several more criminals were killed. As if to say, 'ha ha, you cannot stop me even with FBI agents tailing me.' A childish retaliation from a childish criminal. It also proves that he is willing to sacrifice others for his cause, something quite contradictory to his assumed morals. He considers himself just, one who can deliver punishment to those who are unjust, but he himself kills the innocent that stand in his way." The task force gaped at L's readiness to give out such information to a child, but Conan took it all in stride.

"So he really is a bad guy?" he asked, tilting his head for effect.

"Definitely," L answered. Conan put his hand to his chin. It was a lot of information to take in, and he might need to sit on it for a while. Perhaps he could milk more information out of the youngest detective.

* * *

_I can't actually guarantee that the next chapter will come out soon. I'm working on several other things, as well as beta reading for a few people. I'm also taking a creative writing class that soaks up a lot of my fictional writing quota. I do plan on picking this up again, and I hope that it can be more regularly updated (perhaps not every week like you all would want) but I will try my best!_

_Ps. If you have any ideas for this story (or for a chapter), let me know! I could certainly use the help. I mean, despite whether you help or not I will come up with something, but it might take a while longer ): I never actually planned this whole story out before I posted it. My timeline was really vague. Thanks in advance!_


	4. Chapter 4

_**Disclaimer:** If I owned either of these, they wouldn't be nearly as well known. In fact, they would suck…really bad. _

_**Summary:** Ah-re-re! Oh hey, there you are Raito! We've been waiting for your appearance. _

_**Notes**: How has no one shot me in the face already? I am the most unreliable writer ever, guys. Guess who's taking another Creative Writing class? Yup. This girl. And it's capstone, which means like wayyyy more writing and planning and omgkillmewhyyy. I'm sorry. Continue, please._

* * *

It was extremely inconvenient sometimes, having the appearance of a child. Shinichi couldn't help but think this extra true as he was often forced into the bedroom of the suite for sleep. Yagami was exceptionally fatherly towards him, whether this be because he had two children of his own or that it was just in the man's nature, he wasn't quite sure. However, Shinichi was positive that he could be of some use, and feigning sleep for a few hours in the other room as he eavesdropped with his ear pressed against the door was starting to become tiresome. He couldn't really ever mention anything he heard, so he'd have to go around pointing things out in Conan's roundabout innocent way, with only L and Watari any the wiser.

It hadn't been long now since Shinichi had been with them, and while L continued to marvel him—as he assumed the detective probably always would, sometimes he still couldn't believe that _he knew L_—Shinichi himself felt a bit useless. He stood there, in the late night dimness of the living area of the suite, peering over L's shoulder as he tapped the keys on the laptop with one finger, the other holding a spoon. Watari was giving out ice cream, Shinichi certainly not being the only one to give the older man a skeptical look as he was handed a cone of his own, and L seemed to be focusing on something in particular. Watari handed the odd detective an ice cream, and as he did so, L set aside the laptop and the spoon in favor of the cone. The only light in the room now as he closed the portable computer was from the glow of the TV. The others were watching tapes of the FBI agents, and as they came to one called Ray Penbar in particular, L made them stop.

It was at this time that Shinichi noticed it, and apparently, so had L. Or really, L had probably noticed it long before. It was only now, however, that L was pointing it out. Perhaps he had been pondering on it before letting everyone else in, Shinichi wouldn't be surprised if that were true. L seemed to be the kind who thought much more than he spoke. In fact, Shinichi believed that if L had ever tried to voice all of his thoughts, it would only serve to lose and confuse everyone's attentions.

"You see what he is holding there?" he didn't actually lift a finger to indicate what he was talking about; it was obvious in the still frame of the metro station.

"…It's an envelope!" Aizawa was the first to say, and the others looked just as surprised. None of them had noticed before. L skipped ahead on the video.

"And now," he said, waiting for the others to catch up.

"It's gone," Matsuda commented, disbelief in his voice.

"And the way that Penbar is acting," L continued, leading the others very carefully into the same line of thought as him.

"It's like he's trying to see inside the train. Do you think he's looking at someone? Could it be Kira?" L didn't answer right away. In fact, he seemed to hesitate, like he didn't want to agree or disagree. Shinichi understood. Because how on earth could they claim that Kira himself had gone to the train station and killed Ray Penbar, when it was obvious he didn't need to be at the scene for it to happen?

"We cannot be certain," he finally answered, the others giving him looks of mixed disappointment. "Why would Kira need to be there himself, when he can kill from any location? It would be reckless to assume that he was there…" though he'd said it, Shinichi knew he probably didn't completely believe it. It was likely, in fact, that Kira had been there. Why else would Penbar react so strangely? The only thing keeping them from knowing for certain was proof. They would probably never find proof.

The others deflated, but Shinichi was already coming up with a protest of his own.

"Couldn't Kira have been trying to get something out of Penbar-san? If Penbar-san had something that I wanted, I would want to be there myself. Wouldn't Kira be the same?" His voice had remained child-like, but perhaps he'd gotten a little too into his explanation as the others were now giving him odd looks. L, as expected, was unfazed.

"I had the same thought," he agreed, taking a large bite from his ice cream.

"Really?" Matsuda questioned, before L could elaborate anymore. He nodded, licking at the ice cream for a few more moments before going on again.

"We should keep it in mind as we investigate further."

The next day, someone called. They had information, possibly relating to the Kira case. A woman that L was acquaintance with in the FBI had gone missing, and as it turned out, she was also the fiancée of Ray Penbar, the dead FBI agent they had been watching just previously. It was more than coincidence, and perhaps L was thinking the exact same thing.

"We will narrow our search," he announced, catching everyone's attention. Not that they hadn't already been paying attention, from the previous phone call to Matsuda's phone. "We will investigate only those that were being tailed by Ray Penbar. Those people are directly related to the police and those around them."

"Who are they?" Yagami asked, and L turned, not looking the least bit disturbed as the words fell from his lips.

"Assistant Director Kitamura and his family, and Chief Yagami and his family." There was a collective gasp, but Shinichi merely watched from his position on the couch calmly. It was, to him at least, extremely likely that Kira could be of close relation to one of the police. It would explain how he'd been able to get his hands on information that was exclusive to the Japanese Police Force. If he wasn't a family member, then at the very least a roommate or friend, a significant other.

He _was_ surprised, however, when Yagami proved to be entirely willing to this invasion of his family's privacy, though he certainly wasn't happy about it.

The day the cameras were being set up, Shinichi had time to talk to L.

"Do you really think that the cameras have a possibility of catching Kira?" he asked. It seemed unlikely, but L was the one who had come up with the idea, and despite knowing he certainly wasn't a perfect human being, he couldn't help but follow along.

"The chance is…around one percent or less," he answered, fingers mindlessly twisting at the lollipop in his mouth.

"You're trying to procure a viable suspect, then?" L looked at him, an empty stare that would chill anyone else, and seemed to think on his words.

"I suppose you might say that," he finally affirmed, turning back to the screen his eyes had been scanning before.

A few hours later, Yagami and L were monitoring Yagami's home. Despite the fact that L had said only he and Yagami would be the ones to watch them, little Conan had managed to sit in as well, since he was just a _child _after all, what was there for him to see? Even so, whenever someone went to the bathroom, he respectfully looked away, even if L and Yagami did not. He felt as though there was enough invasion of their privacy already, why expose the two children very near his own age to his peering eyes? Of course, L saw everything.

"No need to feel awkward, Conan-kun," he said after Sachiko had entered the bathroom. "They only call it peeping when it is done in recreation, I believe." Yagami spluttered, and Shinichi nearly choked on his own spit. How was L always so blunt? And he was being completely serious, too…

"I don't think you need three sets of eyes to cover the bathroom," he excused, and Yagami was glaring at him now. L was the only one who did not let his eyes away from the screen.

"What difference would it make for a child to watch, anyways?" he protested, looking a bit ruffled as they continued to watch his wife move about the house.

"Conan-kun is very helpful." It was so vague and blunt that Yagami had no way to protest further, nothing to say against it, though he did still look skeptical. Shinichi believed it would always be that way though, unless his identity was somehow revealed to everyone. It was just too weird to think a small seven year old child was capable of such intelligent deductive ability.

The days wore on like this, with occasional insensitive comments from L, arguments from Yagami, and pure boredom from Shinichi. There wasn't much to see with this family, but the Kitamura's weren't much more fruitful. If anything, the Yagami's were their best bet. It was something about Raito, Yagami's son, that bothered Shinichi, but he couldn't say what. He was a model student, very smart. He studied more often than most students his age, even around exam times, but he also sat around and read dirty magazines like a normal teenage boy. He was almost…too perfect. There were times when he would say things to himself, about homework or whatever he was reading at the time, that seemed off. It wasn't that he sounded unnatural, that he was acting or something ridiculous like that. It was just…

And then there was now. He was sitting, casually, eating a bag of chips and studying. But there was something almost…vicious about his posture. The way he tensed his back, hunched over the pages, bit into the chips now and again, it wasn't unlike he'd ever seen before, but he couldn't really place the feeling it gave him.

Raito was the most suspicious of anyone, but even L admitted the likelihood of him being Kira to be around five percent or less. There was just no real logical reason to suspect him. And that was why the cameras and bugs were all removed from the house.

Shinichi could tell that L wasn't satisfied, and it wasn't only by the fact that he voiced his continued suspicion. They were probably experiencing the same general feeling. There was just something about Yagami Raito…

* * *

"I had a thought," L said to him as they sat, secluded from all the others, in the suite's bedroom. L didn't sleep, at least Shinichi had never seen him do it, but sometimes he would go to the bedroom with the laptop and continue his work privately, with only Shinichi or Watari for company. Right now, it seemed as though L just wanted to voice his thoughts to someone, and Shinichi was convenient.

"What kind?" he decided to ask his idol. L bit his thumb and chewed for a few moments in silence, as if trying to find the correct words to describe whatever was going through his head.

"I was thinking of introducing myself to Raito-kun."

**~ * ~ B R E A K ~ * ~**

_Don't worry. I haven't cut you guys off yet~_

It was the day for college entrance exams, at least for To-oh University, and that's where Yagami Raito was on that particular sunny morning. He arrived quite a bit later than some of the other college hopefuls, though he was far from worried about this fact. He commented offhandedly that he was actually a few minutes earlier than he'd intended, startling the man that stood by the gate to greet the incoming students. Raito was confident. He'd always been so, and perhaps it had had a negative affect on him through the years. Raito, quite plainly, got bored. He was always the perfect student, always the perfect son. There was nothing good or interesting about his life whatsoever other than that he sometimes got to help the police with investigations, though that hadn't been nearly enough.

It was the Death Note that had saved him from this life. Sure, Raito still had to pretend. He still had to act the perfect student, the perfect son, the perfect human being. On the side, however, he was cleansing the world of its filth. Those who committed crimes were punished, and all by his hand. No longer did the woman who'd fallen victim to a rapist have to hide in fear as said rapist was failed to be convicted. No longer did the son's murder go unavenged for the mother. Raito was fixing it all. He was the only one who could. The court systems didn't care.

"Mister!" Even Ryuk was surprised as the young voice called out, seemingly out of nowhere. Raito turned, just before the doors now, and had to look down to find the gaze of the young boy. He wore glasses that were almost too large for his face, a nondescript jacket, and a hat on his head. Thusly, the boy's face was mostly obscured, except to Raito in whom he was looking directly up at. So he had been talking to the teenager, it seemed.

"Can I help you with something?" he asked. The boy blinked a few times, then held an object up in the air as high as his arm would let him reach. It was…

"You dropped this," he chirped, smiling happily up at Raito. Raito blinked a few times, trying to overcome the slight shock of the situation. The boy was holding his wallet, but… it was impossible. There was no way that Raito could have dropped it. Inside it was a page of the Death Note, if just anyone had gotten their hands on it, he could be…

"Thank you," he recovered smoothly. His panic had lasted, visibly, for the span of only perhaps three seconds or so, hardly enough time for a boy to comprehend. Yet, Raito still cursed himself for letting the mask drop. Even if only for a moment. "I don't know how I would have survived without this." He smiled kindly, and took the wallet from the boy. He would have to wait until he was alone to check the pocket.

If anyone found out about the secret compartment he'd made in it, he would surely be doomed. And how could Raito know for sure that no one but the boy was watching? He decided to stop in a nearby bathroom. It would kill a minute or two anyways.

As Raito walked away, the boy smiled. "He did exactly what we expected. Does this increase his percentage?"

"Only by a little, Conan-kun," the voice mumbled very softly. He wasn't inside the testing room yet, and was listening to the entire exchange via one of the detective badges. "Not nearly enough to be concerned, though."

Maybe it was just Shinichi, but he thought L sounded a little disappointed. Or maybe, he was just eager for the challenge.

* * *

_Oh wow.. it was really weird to write like this after writing 6500 words of a novel in double spaced formatting. _

_I have a question, by the way. I really like Raito. But I feel he cannot coexist with L. I want neither of them to die, but I really don't want to kill them either. I haven't decided on the ending, and I'd like to know what you guys think. Your suggestions may or may not have an actual effect, and I won't be spoiling anything even if I do make a decision. I would just like to hear it from you guys. Thanks in advance! Your help is always appreciated. _

_See you soon, hopefully! Preferably before four months have passed._

_Ps. I apologize if you guys got multiple alerts from this. Fanfiction was being stupid and not uploading the chapter correctly. Hopefully you can all see it now. _


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